Day 8: Learning Experience (Reading Further)

Preparing for the Lesson

Lesson Aim & Summary

SWBAT compare diverse perspectives on the Trail of Tears by integrating information from multiple sources on the
same topic in order to write about the subject knowledgeably [RI.4.9]
This lesson begins with the teacher engaging in a reading of Andrew Jackson’s letter to the Cherokees before the Trail of Tears
began. Ss then read and analyze a collection of primary sources from American newspapers critical of the United States’ actions
toward the Cherokees, as well as a letter from Cherokee leaders in response to Jackson’s letter. They use these primary sources
to compare perspectives on the Trail of Tears and form their own opinion on this event and if the U.S. was justified in its actions.

Social Studies Content Power Standard(s) Common Core Literacy Skill Standard(s)

SS.4.12 Manifest Destiny & Western Expansion RI.4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic
 identify and describe the beliefs, experiences, perspectives in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably
and values that shaped events
 explain connections among historical contexts and
people’s perspectives at the time

Central Idea of text or lesson

T: While President Jackson and many Americans felt the Cherokees must move off their land, the Indian Removal Act
and subsequent Trail of Tears was met with resistance from American Indian leaders and other Americans who
recognized the brutality of this act.

Materials Preparation

1. Student Text: NewsELA.com “Primary Sources: Andrew Jackson's Letter to the Cherokee”; “Time Machine (1838):
The Cherokees and the Trail of Tears” (Curriculum Hub)
2. Lesson Worksheet – Cumulative Review/Reading Notes (included below)
3. Daily Assessment (included below)
4. Performance Tracker (included below)

Lesson Connection (**To be completed once the full LP and text have been read)

1. How does this lesson connect to the SEQ?

2. How do the standards (both Social Studies and ELA) live in this lesson?

3. Given the lesson type, what are the most critical aspects of the lesson to ensure that students engage with the most
rigorous content?
Lesson Big Picture
Essential Question Scaffold Essential Question

How did moving West change America? Was the United States justified in its expansion to the West?

Daily Assessment Item and Exemplar Response: Criteria for Success for Response:

How did the Cherokees react to the Indian Removal Act? A successful paragraph response will include:
 A valid claim that tells the message of their resistance
The Cherokees challenged the Indian Removal Act by writing a
 Accurate and sufficient evidence from both sources
letter to Congress that told the U.S. government that they
 An explanation connecting evidence to the claim
would not be silenced. The Cherokees wrote this letter after
 Vocabulary from today’s lesson: Cherokees, Jackson,
Jackson said he was their friend. In the letter, the Cherokees
Indian Removal Act, Congress
recognize that Jackson is trying to trick them, and that they will
 Appropriate grammar, spelling, and transition words
not follow that. The Cherokees said they will never accept an
between ideas
agreement that is unfair or insults their nation. Even though
the Cherokees knew they were weaker than the United States,
they were willing to stand up for their rights and their land.

Potential Misconceptions Methods to Address Misconceptions

The Cherokees text uses a series of rhetorical questions that
students may struggle to break down and understand, such as
“Is it a crime to trust our chiefs?”
Students may struggle to recognize the strength of the
Cherokees in writing a letter if they still ultimately lost their
land.
Key Points
Read the questions included in the text with dramatic pauses
between them so Ss can recognize the patterns in the
questions:
Q: What have we done to deserve such treatment? (A: nothing)
Q: What is our crime? (A: none)
Q: Have we invaded any one’s rights? (A: no)
Q: Have we violated any of our many treaties? (A: no)
Q: Have we acted in bad faith? (A: no)
Answer in text: We have done no such thing.
Remind Ss that 200 years ago, writing a letter expressing your
opinions against something was a bold move, especially for
people with limited power (such as African Americans and
American Indians). Connect this thinking to Benjamin
Banneker’s letters to Jefferson as another example of agency.

What should students say about the WHAT skills would students say they What should students be able to say to
content by the end of the lesson? engaged with in this lesson? connect this Lesson to the unit?

 After the Indian Removal Act,
President Jackson wrote a letter to
the Cherokees encouraging them to
give up their land and move West. In
the letter, he calls himself a friend of
the Cherokees.
 In a letter back to the U.S.
government, Cherokee leaders
wrote that they would not be forced
into silence or surrender their rights.
It was published in a newspaper in
VT.
 We read and analyzed multiple
primary sources in today’s lesson.
 We listened to Jackson’s letter to the
Cherokees and compared his
language in this letter to his message
on Indian removal and the events
that happened in the Trail of Tears.
 We read the Cherokees’ response to
Jackson and identified the ways in
which the Cherokees showed
resistance to the U.S. government.
 Today’s lesson shows us that the
Cherokees were not simply victims in
the Trail of Tears. Instead, they
spoke out against the U.S.
government’s actions and refused to
fall for Jackson’s lies to them. Even
though the Cherokees ultimately
were forced to move, understanding
their actions leading up to the Trail
of Tears shows that their story
includes strength, not just sadness.

Lesson Detail
Question/Prompt Key:
CC=cold call TT = turn and talk SJ = stop and jot H = hands FIST = fist to 5 / shake & show MC
 THUMBS = agree (up)/disagree (down) (CR) or Underlined = Choral response  = back pocket question/prompt
* = questions that push students to name the key points, preparing them to realize the central idea of the lesson
Agenda Notes
Component
Cumulative Review Assesses Ss current conceptions (3 min):
and Framing (5min)
 Ss will have 2 minutes to complete the cumulative review/prior knowledge task (Lesson Worksheet):
Ss ground
What was the relationship between the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears? [Expected Student
themselves in the
learning of the Response]
day and name  Circulate to determine Ss understanding of the content learned in Days 6-7. If students are struggling with
the what, why, the Do Now, begin the Guided Inquiry by reading Newsela’s editor note for context (see below).
and how of the  Have Ss review the Do Now in partners.
lesson.
Pose/Elicit SEQ, Aim, & Framing (2 min):
 Remind Ss that yesterday, they learned about the Trail of Tears, the path that the Cherokees were forced to
take in order to clear land for American settlers. This provides more information to answer the EQ:
o Was the United States justified in its expansion to the West?
 Tell Ss that today, they are going to learn about the conflicting perspectives of the United States government
and the Cherokees just before the Trail of Tears to see how the Cherokees tried to resist their removal:
o AIM: SWBAT compare diverse perspectives on the Trail of Tears by integrating information from
multiple sources on the same topic in order to write about the subject knowledgeably
 Name the skills: Ss will first listen to part of a letter Andrew Jackson wrote to the Cherokees shortly before
the Trail of Tears. Then Ss will read and analyze the Cherokees’ response to Jackson and determine how the
Cherokee Nation showed agency and strength in order to resist the U.S. government’s decisions.
o (TT) What are we doing in today’s lesson? Why? [Expected Student Response]
Guided Inquiry OR Facilitates Learning Experience (4min):
Modeling (7min)
 Tell Ss that they are going to begin today by listening to the teacher read a letter Jackson wrote to the
Guided Inquiry:
Cherokees after the Indian Removal Act but before the Trail of Tears.
Ss explore
content and  Distribute copies of the primary source to Ss (on Curriculum Hub).
concepts through  If your students were struggling to recall and connect details from Days 6 and 7 in Do Now, begin by reading
investigation the Newsela editor’s note. If students demonstrate strong recall, skip framing for timing.
Editor's Note: In the early 1800s, white settlers moved into Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. Some of
this American Indian land was taken after Indian wars. Some was taken by United States government
treaties that promised to pay and move the Native Americans. The idea was to give the Native Americans
enough money, land, food and tools if they agreed to move west. The Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed
by President Andrew Jackson, forced the tribes to move. The Cherokee leaders signed a treaty in 1835.
Soldiers rounded up the tribe and marched them to their new home. About 4,000 Cherokee died moving
west. The march would become known as the “Trail of Tears.” This letter led to the treaty.
 Have Ss follow along as you read Jacksons letter. Tell Ss to think about the following two thinking jobs:
Thinking job: What is Jackson’s message to the Cherokees?
How do you think the Cherokees would react to this message?

Asks Questions (3 min):

 After reading, have Ss analyze the letter by asking the following questions:
o *(SJ) In your own words, what is Jackson’s message to the Cherokees? [Expected Student Response]
 How is this message similar to his message to Indian Removal?
o Jackson uses the word “friend” many times. (THUMBS) Was he the Cherokees’ friend? [Expected
Student Response]
o (CC) What did Jackson mean when he said each year would become more difficult for the Cherokees?
[Expected Student Response]
o *(TT) How might the Cherokees react to this letter? [Expected Student Response]
Reading and Facilitates the reading (12min):
Discussion
 Tell Ss now that they have heard Jackson’s perspective on the Cherokees’ removal, they are going to analyze
(15min)
Ss read and a letter that the Cherokee Nation wrote back to the United States government in protest of these actions.
discuss the text  Provide Ss with the context of this letter by reading Newsela’s editor note and the Vermont Telegraph’s note:
to solidify the
content explored --Newsela Editor's Note: This was printed in the Vermont Telegraph newspaper on April 4, 1838. It has
in the GI/Model four different news stories. They tell the story of Native Americans right before the Trail of Tears.
making abstract --Vermont Telegraph’s Note: We have received a written copy of a statement of facts that will be
ideas concrete.
presented to the Congress. It will come from the Cherokee Nation of Indians in a week. It has such sad
injustice that we want to publish it right away for our readers. The statement of facts is signed by 15,665
Indians. This is the whole Cherokee Nation. It shows the unfair actions of the government agents that
resulted in the New Echota Treaty. Right after the treaty was created, the Cherokee Nation protested
against it.
Pose Thinking Job: What is the Cherokees’ message to the U.S. government?
Literacy Skill: As you read, be Text Complexities: Ss are seeing how the Cherokees advocated for
thinking about how the Cherokees themselves and spoke out against the actions of the US
reacted to the things Jackson said government. Ss need to use their knowledge of Jackson’s speech
in his letter, and how that showed from the previous day’s lesson to help them understand the
their agency. Cherokees message.
Student Text: “Time Machine (1838): The Cherokees and the Trail of Tears” (Curriculum Hub)
Shared Reading – T will call on individual scholars to read and snap for all scholars to chorally read.
 Note to teachers: Due to the complexity of this text, be prepared to read more of the text
yourself than usual
Time: 10min
Stopping Point Question/Prompt Exemplar Response (+ Support)
“..and work with (CC) How do the Cherokees feel about the treaty? [Expected Student Response]
us to make it Find the line(s) that prove your thinking.
more fair.”
*(CC) How do the Cherokees feel about Jackson’s [Expected Student Response]
letter? Find the line(s) that proves your thinking.

*(SJ) Summarize what the Cherokees are saying [Expected Student Response]
to the section “The Facts from the Cherokee
Nation.”
“…tricked by our (SJ) Summarize what the Cherokees are saying to [Expected Student Response]
leaders.” the section “Begging the President to Listen to
their Concerns.”
“…these awful, *(TT) Think back to how Jackson described the [Expected Student Response]
cruel orders.” Indian Removal Act as a “kind and generous
policy.” How is the Cherokees’ perspective
different than Jackson’s?

(SJ) Summarize what the Cherokees are saying in [Expected Student Response]
the section “Do Not Force Us Into Silence.”
End of section: (CC) What did the Cherokees mean that they are [Expected Student Response]
“weak people”?

*(SJ) Summarize what the Cherokees are saying [Expected Student Response]
in the section “We May Be Small But We Will Not
Surrender Our Rights.”

Facilitates Synthesis Discussion (3min):

 Circle back to thinking job: Take the summaries from each section of the letter to synthesize our thinking job.
 *(TT) What was the Cherokees’ message to the U.S. government? [Expected Student Response]
o *(discuss) How did the Cherokees show agency in their letter? [Expected Student Response]
 What lines proved that they were strong?
 How did these lines connect to their message?
Application Facilitates Daily Assessment:
(10min)
 Review the daily assessment prompt with scholars and review the CFS:
Ss construct
o Claim: The first sentence attempts to correctly and fully answer the question being asked
conclusions that
build their o Evidence: The claim is supported by 2 or more pieces of evidence from the text or source
o Explanation: The evidence is connected back to the claim through a thoughtful explanation
knowledge o Vocabulary from today’s lesson: Cherokees, Jackson, Indian Removal Act, Congress
towards o Appropriate grammar, spelling, and transition words between ideas
answering the  Gather formative assessment data in the chart below.
SEQ/EQ
Student Performance Planned Instructional Response
Met all the CFS
Claim is inaccurate / does
not indicate deep
understanding
Evidence is insufficient /
does not support the claim
Explanation is missing / does
not connect evidence to the
claim
Data-driven trends:
Closing (3min) Consolidate and Anchor Learning (2 min):
Ss revise their  Relate today’s lesson to the yearlong essential question: How can a single event in history be perceived
work and differently by multiple people based on their experience and degree of power?
synthesize/
o (TT) Why do you think Jackson and the Cherokees had such different perspectives on the Indian
consolidate their
Removal Act? [Expected Student Response]
learning.

Preview Content (1 min):

 Tell Ss that tomorrow they will complete the processing assessment in which they answer the chapter EQ:
Was the United States justified in their expansion to the West?
o (THUMBS) Based on everything you’ve read in this chapter, how would you answer this question?
[Expected Student Response]
Lesson Worksheet

Name Date

Do Now
What was the relationship between the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears?

SWBAT compare diverse perspectives

Unit 5 Day 8 AIM:
on the Trail of Tears by integrating information from
multiple sources on the same topic in order to write
about the subject knowledgeably
In your own words, what was Jackson’s message to the Cherokees?

Section Summary

The Facts from the

Cherokee Nation.

Begging the
President to Listen
to their Concerns.

Do Not Force Us
Into Silence.

We May Be Small
But We Will Not
 Surrender Our
Rights.
Daily Assessment
Name Date

Social Studies Exit Ticket Grade 4 – Unit 5 Day 8

How did the Cherokees react to the Indian Removal Act?

Criteria for success:

 Claim: The first sentence attempts to correctly and fully answer the question being asked
 Evidence: The claim is supported by 2 or more pieces of evidence from the text or source
 Explanation: The evidence is connected back to the claim through a thoughtful explanation
 Vocabulary from today’s lesson: Cherokees, Jackson, Indian Removal Act, Congress
 Appropriate grammar, spelling, and transition words between ideas
Performance Tracker
Student Performance Student Names Planned Instructional Response
Met all the CFS

Claim is inaccurate / does

not indicate deep
understanding

Evidence is insufficient /
does not support the claim

Explanation is missing / does

not connect evidence to the
claim

Data-driven trends: